Hydrogen peroxide impairs GRK2 translation via a calpain-dependent and cdk1-mediated pathway

Oxidative mechanisms of injury are involved in many neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, ischemia–reperfusion injury and multiple sclerosis. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) plays a key role in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling modulation, and its expression levels are decreased after brain hypoxia/ischemia and reperfusion as well as in several inflammatory conditions. We report here that hydrogen peroxide downregulates GRK2 expression in C6 rat glioma cells. The hydrogen peroxide-induced decrease in GRK2 is prevented by a calpain protease inhibitor, but does not involve increased GRK2 degradation or changes in GRK2 mRNA level. Instead we show that hydrogen peroxide treatment impairs GRK2 translation in a process that requires Cdk1 activation and involves the mTOR pathway. This novel mechanism for the control of GRK2 expression in glial cells upon oxidative stress challenge may contribute to the modulation of GPCR signaling in different pathological conditions.